Just Might Tell You Tonight
by listeningtothestorm
Summary: Erik/Charles, X-Men: First Class universe. Erik can't quite find the words. Title from 'Might Tell You Tonight, by Scissor Sisters'. No copyright infringement intended. First ever X-Men fic, so would appreciate feedback :
1. Chapter 1

_Well you're quiet, but your eyes_

_Are saying everything I need to know_

_I just might say it tonight_

_I just might tell you tonight_

_That I love you_

_And you should stay all my life_

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><p>The dark panelling that decorated most of Charles' childhood home did not provide much comfort to it's new inhabitants, especially in the ever growing heat of the late summer. The younger trainees coped with the inhospitable heat in their own ways, usually marvelling at Darwin as he became cold blooded in the hot sunlight outside, or playing with Hank's various attempts at cooling the stuffy house effectively with oversized air ducts and fans. Raven found herself confined to the house for a week after attempting to shift herself a pair of wings to use to cool the others down, misjudging the size and weight of them and breaking the fireplace in the process.<p>

Erik, however, quickly felt himself becoming cooped up in the hot mansion. Much to the amusement of the others, he could frequently be found sleeping on the flat, private roof to escape the claustrophobia of the dark room given to him by Charles, having easily moved a small camp bed up onto the gravelled top surface of the house. It was here that he lay quietly one dry August night, gazing at unfamiliar constellations and absentmindedly playing with a spring that had come loose from the thin mattress of the metal camp bed.

_Erik? Where are you tonight?_

Erik lifted his head lazily, a smile playing on his lips as the spring froze in mid air in front of him, feeling his friend's presence lightly settling on the edge of his thoughts, the barely there touch indicating that Charles must be either some distance away, or considerably tired. _The roof, of course _he thought, letting it drift through his mind and directing it towards the breached part of his consciousness. The spring abruptly started spinning again above his head as Charles broke the connection, taking Erik by surprise and forcing him to reach out a hand and physically catch it before it dropped onto his upturned face.

"Smooth, my friend" a voice behind him laughed, and he turned to see Charles struggling through the stiff iron door that led out onto the roof, wedged half in and half out of it. Erik smirked, and sat up to face him, lazing casually on the low bed.

"Mocking me like that Charles, anyone would think you didn't want any help with the door." He yawned loudly and falsely, and made to lie back around, keeping an eye turned towards the door to watch the scene. "I think I might just leave you to struggle there all night."

A loud grating noise of the metal door grinding against the flagstone floor ripped through the serene night air, and Erik braced himself on the tiny bed, concentrating on steadying the thin metal legs as Charles flopped down heavily beside him, clearly trying to tip it over.

"And who exactly says I need your help?" He shot back childishly, sounding much more like Raven than his usual composed self. He even looked less composed than usual, Erik noted, taking in his dishevelled hair and the light sheen of sweat on his brow that was visible in the moonlight. He raised an eyebrow at Charles, who rolled his eyes, noticing the examination.

"I was downstairs with Alex. This damn heat wave is making the bunker into an oven, so we're trying to practice in the old servants quarters. Not my greatest idea ever," he sighed, stretching out his legs to rub the tired muscles. "You will be able to help us repair the inside of the chimney in the morning, won't you? It's very old and one of the main flues, and Alex just cut right through it, not a care in the world of course. That boy has me exhausted, I mean I know he's trying, but the heat's making him so tired…"

As Charles reeled off a progress report worthy of any teacher, Erik found himself drifting away from the actual conversation in order to just enjoy the sound of the other man's voice. The low, rolling voice calmed him in a way he had never known possible until recently; the only thing that came anywhere near it was the serenity he felt sometimes while using his power. Charles was so enthusiastic about the young mutants, he often placed far more trust in them than they deserved, Erik thought secretly, and for some reason it was him that he chose to relay all the tales of their progress to. Or, as it often had been lately in the distracting approach of summer, their lack thereof.

They had grown into a comfortable routine in the last few weeks, each working on their own projects during the day, then regrouping at night to talk about their days over chess or stargazing, depending on whereabouts Erik was sleeping. And since Charles usually had far more to say, Erik could easily sit back and listen, conveniently choosing to ignore the fact that he often found himself at a loss when it came to what to reply to Charles' eager questions. Ignoring the way that his friend's enthusiasm had slowly become endearing to him, rather than irritating, and the way he always preferred talking outside on the tiny bed rather than in the stuffy library on straight-backed chairs, and very pointedly ignoring that annoying voice in the back of his head that said he should be talking to Charles about these exact things, rather than pushing it all away. That voice always managed to sound like Charles somehow.

_You haven't heard a word I've been saying, have you? _Erik started, as the voice in the back of his head suddenly became a lot louder and more sure of itself. He looked up at Charles, who was looking at him with an expression halfway between annoyance and amusement. _Sorry, _he thought back, shrugging his shoulders; _I suppose I'm tired as well._

_No, _Charles sent through, furrowing his brow in concentration as he looked down from the stars to stare into the older man's eyes. _You've been… quiet, Erik. The only way to get your attention is talking to you like this, and even then it feels like you're holding something back. _He swung up his legs onto the bed to sit cross-legged, and broke the mental connection less abruptly than before, easing off slowly to give them both some time to adjust to it. Erik smiled softly, setting the spring spinning in the small space between them once again.

"I'm sorry, really. I suppose you could say I've had a lot on my mind." He cleared his throat nervously, suddenly very aware of how close Charles sat on the narrow bed frame, and cautiously reached out a hand to pat his friend's knee where he sat. Charles didn't draw back from the touch, probably realising that Erik was still unsure about human contact in general. "Try not to worry about me Charles," Erik continued, leaving his hand lying softly on the bed between them. "When I can figure out how to say it, you'll be the first to know, believe me."

Charles smiled understandingly in the dim moonlight, and nodded, casually arranging himself on the bed so their hands ghosted next to each other in between them. They lay in silence then, counting stars and straightening out the spring respectively, each lost in their own considerable thoughts. A thin cloud swam over the moon, plunging them into almost complete darkness, and Erik lowered the spring to the floor with a clatter.

_You're sure, my friend?_

_I'm sure, Charles. Just, not tonight._

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><p><em><em>**So. First ever foray into X-Men writing. Let me know if you liked it or hated it or if you think it should be killed with fire. The song 'Might Tell You Tonight' is by Scissor Sisters, from their album 'Ta-Dah' and I like it very much in case you hadn't noticed. No copyright infringement is intended, either towards Scissor Sisters or the X-Men franchise.**_  
><em>


	2. Chapter 2

The days inevitably began to grow cooler in what seemed like no time at all, forcing everyone in the mansion back to their own little warped realities. Charles, on hearing Raven casually mention the words 'air duct' one afternoon, promptly set Erik to work ripping out all the unsightly metal tubes that Hank had haphazardly threaded through the house, and spent a full evening lecturing the poor boy on the correct way to treat a house that was at least ten generations older than everyone who currently inhabited it. Erik found himself being increasingly persuaded into helping Charles with his 'lessons', which tried his patience to levels he had not known previously existed, especially when it came to attempting to convince Alex that waking up Sean in the middle of the night with freezing cold water was not an excellent idea, and yes, he would have to pay for the seventeen windows that had been shattered. Charles however, he noticed, seemed to have a strong sense of authority over the young mutants, barely noticeable on the surface for the most part, but clearly apparent when, nine times out of ten, he had to step into the training sessions that Erik led to tell them all to calm down and actually get some work done.

The routine was slipping. Erik's bed on the roof had slowly and reluctantly been given up as the nights grew cooler again, and the warm autumn rain showers had put an end to whispered conversations under the pretence of star gazing. It was less easy to casually fall asleep on the same bed when their rooms indoors were three floors away from each other, and since Charles was spending so much more time catching up on the training the children had missed during the heatwave, he had far less time to push Erik to divulge the contents of his mind to him.

The problem was, Erik wanted to. He just didn't know how.

A sharp knocking on his bedroom door snapped Erik out of his thoughts, and he hurried across the room in the semi-darkness he preferred to the harsh electric lamps that were scattered about the house.

"Took you long enough" smirked the figure leaning against the doorway, pushing himself up from where he was lounging against the wall. _I knocked about twenty times. Do I dare ask what was so enthralling in your locked room that you didn't hear me?_

Erik laughed quietly, still getting used to the sensation, amazed at how easily Charles could switch between his audible and mental voices. "You could have projected in any time, so I have no sympathy" he shot back, closing the door behind them as the other man collapsed into the desk chair. _And no, you may not, actually _he added as he lowered the latch on the door while walking back towards the bed and perching on the end of it, a warmth spreading through his chest as he heard a gentle chuckle from Charles.

That's it. He had to say something, how hard could it be? All he had to do was just open his mouth and-

"I am so bloody tired, you wouldn't even believe it. The maid refuses to go to town to go shopping in this downpour – not that I blame her mind, but Sean and Alex are driving me mad because we're out of some horrendous sugary thing that they live on apparently. I had to stop Sean trying to fly there himself, he hasn't progressed even nearly enough to go flying about in torrential rain, but he won't accept that of course." Charles leant back in his chair and yawned, stretching lazily.

Of course, that would be if he could get a word in edgeways, Erik thought with a wry smile, watching as Charles got up and settled down on the end of the bed, switching easily to his mental voice as he continued to bemoan the events of the day, neither of them needing to express how good it felt to be slipping back into their easy routine.

Maybe tomorrow night.

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><p>Well I couldn't just leave it as a one-shot after so many of you seemed to like it :D just a little tiny chapter here to bridge the gap while I write something much better and I promise, much longer<em>. <em>Leave me your thoughts please? I really really like them.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Since a lot of this chapter is mind-talking, or whatever I should call it because I have no idea, to avoid confusion Erik's speech is _**like this**_, and Charles' words are _like this_. I have some time spare right now, so I expect to finish this story off in the next few weeks. Enjoy!

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><p><em>Erik. Eeeeeeerik...<em>

On the third floor library of the mansion, Erik looked up from his book in amusement, as his mind suddenly filled with the all-too familiar presence of his telepath (he really must stop thinking of him as 'his telepath' added that nagging voice at the back of his mind, sounding remarkably like the man in question).

_**I hadn't realised Raven had learned telepathy. It's quite incredible how you sound like your brother, Raven.**_

_Now, there's no need for that Erik. Where are you?_

_**Charles, you just sung my name at me, which, by the way, I wasn't even aware was possible in your head, therefore I think there is every need. I'm in the second library.**_

A pause followed, and Erik leant back in the soft armchair, watching the rain beat lazily against the large window opposite. Autumn in America seemed to carry with it a far more relaxed feeling than he was used to; nobody here was worrying about gathering crops, or how they would heat their homes as winter approached. And after all, why should they be bothered, when they were being housed so opulently by such a generous friend? He pushed away the growing feeling of resentment at the luxury that surrounded them in the oversized mansion, aware that Charles had not yet broken off the connection between them.

_It seems I haven't got time to come and say hello I'm afraid, so this will have to do. Darwin needs a little more help with adapting to Alex's more – let's say larger – attacks. _

Charles' apprehension at the idea flooded without warning into both their heads, disturbing Erik from his calm mood. He shook his head quickly, trying to disconnect from the feeling and focus on himself. Placing his book to the side finally, he took a moment to remember what they had been talking about.

_**I think vicious and uncontrolled would be a better description there. And what was that, exactly?**_

_Sorry. Strong emotions generally find a way to break through in this kind of connection, and I'm not very practised in concealing them. It's difficult to concentrate on maintaining the link and always focusing on stopping things being sent to you at the same time. _

Erik sat up, the conversation suddenly seeming far more pointed than he had expected.

_**I hadn't realised that was possible. **_

_Oh yes, very possible. Far more likely for me too lose concentration than the other participant though. It's one of the reasons it's so difficult for me to be dishonest in a conversation such as this. _

Upstairs, the older man visibly relaxed, had there been anyone in the beautiful, empty library to see it. The gas lamp burned low on the table beside him, illuminating the golden lettering that graced the front cover, and filling the room with a soft, warm light which was considerably more cheerful than the grey light flooding in from the rain-filled sky outside.

_Erik? You still with me?_

_**Sorry, my friend. I was just thinking. **_

A soft hint of amusement touched on the edge of Erik's mind.

_No you weren't, I would have heard you. That was a very distinct lack of thought. I would have mistaken you for one of the children, had I not known better._

_**That is no way for a professor to talk about his students, Charles. **_Erik thought genially, happy to know his relaxed state did not lead to any emotions leaking through the conversation.

_You're right, I shouldn't. Erik?_

_**Yes? **_

_I can still feel that you're hiding something, you know. I don't mean to pry, but perhaps it would be better if you spent less energy concealing whatever it is you're concealing, and more energy on more important things. _

Erik closed his eyes, marvelling at the the patterns the soft light of the room cast on the inside of his eyelids.

_**Charles, I-**_

Panic flooded through Erik's mind, overwhelming him with a shock as sharp as a blow to the head. For just a moment, his eyes shut tight in the sharpness of the emotion settling over them both, Erik could smell burning, and orange light flashed up bright behind his eyelids.

_Oh my GOD, he's set fire to the kitchen AGAIN, oh god why on earth did ever I let them in this house my mother is probably spinning in her grave – I AM GOING TO MURDER THEM._

The connection was broken in seconds, and Erik half raised from the chair, debating whether or not to go downstairs to help. Then again though, Darwin was probably more helpful in putting out a fire. He could hear distant shouts from several floors below, and, unable to tell whether they were coming from Alex or Charles, he sank back down into the armchair, resting his head against the padded back.

_**I suppose I'll see you later then, my friend. **_He sent out into the emptiness of the room surrounding him, alone but for his own thoughts once again.


	4. Chapter 4

The expansive grounds of the Xavier family mansion covered an almost ridiculous amount of Westchester, giving the inhabitants plenty of room to spread out and claim separate areas for different types of training grounds as they required them. Darwin favoured the lake, and could often be found practicing his already admirable swimming while Sean practiced hovering above the water just overhead. They could be found so most afternoons, and were both preparing by the side of the lake as Erik passed them as he walked back towards the house, trekking back from the furthest corner of the grounds that Alex had been given free reign of for his practices. The early autumn sun shone gently on as Erik paused to watch them, laughing out loud as Darwin back-flipped out of the water and threw Sean completely off balance straight into the middle of the lake. He sat down on a small white bench that sat at the opening to a private garden behind him, catching his breath slowly from the long walk over the uneven grassy grounds.

As he squinted against the low angle of the sun, Erik suddenly noticed another figure standing by the side of the lake, half hidden behind the small clump of trees he leaned against, watching the two splashing men in the middle carefully as they fought good-naturedly in the middle of the small lake. The figure looked up and waved, shouting something indistinguishable towards the lake as he began to walk towards the bench. The splashing in the lake subsided quickly as Darwin leapt up from the surface and dove back down under the water seamlessly, and Sean began to tread water, occasionally lowering his head below the water to practice his sonar detection. Erik watched them with reluctant admiration, realising how far they had both come since they had all settled into life at the mansion.

"You really have been a good influence on them you know" Erik said lightly as Charles sat down on the bench next to him. He adjusted his jacket awkwardly, keeping his eyes fixed on the lake rather than the man next to him, afraid that locking eye contact would be taken as permission to entangle their minds as intimately as they usually did. "They were children when they came here; you've helped them all so much."

"They still aren't ready" Charles sighed heavily, lifting a hand to shadow his eyes against the sun as he stared out at the lake. They sat in silence for a few moments, before Charles pulled his gaze away from the lake to squint in Erik's direction, still shielding his eyes. "Can we talk yet, my friend? Because this-" he gestured in Erik's general direction, catching his attention, "this is getting worrying." He smiled apologetically as Erik finally turned to look at him.

"We are talking." Erik replied quietly, glancing quickly at Charles, still refusing to meet his eyes. He jumped slightly, feeling the pressure of the other man's hand on his shoulder. Charles squeezed his shoulder gently, his face set with a rather grim expression.

"Erik. Look at me." his hand slid lightly over his shoulders, stroking barely there circles into the tense body he felt beneath his hands. "I won't enter your mind if you don't want me to, you know." Erik raised his head, meeting his eyes at once for the first time since he had sat down, looking strangely confused.

"How could you have known I didn't want you to?" Erik asked quickly, rolling his shoulders, regretting it a moment later when he felt Charles' arm lift away from him and settle between them on the bench. He stared at his friend, so close to him on the small bench, so comfortable. He watched the other man run his hand through his hair in an agitated fashion as he looked back out towards the lake.

"Has Raven ever told you that I've never read her mind?" Erik shook his head. "Not once. I've never really needed to, because I can read her like a book anyway. People have a tendency to open up around me when it comes to their feelings, especially the people close to me." he half smiled out at the orange light bouncing off the surface of the water. "You could call it intuition I suppose, but my mutation probably contributes more towards it than I like to admit. It doesn't always happen, but sometimes I can pick out what a person is thinking _towards_ me without actually knowing what they're thinking. If that makes any sort of sense" he finished awkwardly, fiddling with his hair once again. Erik nodded slowly, and lay his hand on Charles' leg where it lay close against his.

A loud splash came from the lake, and they both turned to look as Sean, coming up for air, was knocked unceremoniously underwater by one of the waves he had caused himself. Charles stood up, leaving Erik's hand to fall from his leg.

"I should get back to them." he smiled wanly at the man on the bench and made to walk away, managing all of three steps before he felt Erik grabbing at his elbow and turning him back around. They stared at each other.

"Later." Erik cleared his throat, alarmed to hear his voice so weak. "We can talk later. If you want to." Charles' eyes bore down into his steadily for another few seconds, before he nodded once, and turned back towards the lake.

"Charles?" Erik's voice stopped him in his tracks once more, sounding out clearer than before. He turned to look at him questioningly, taking in his guarded stance and crossed arms against the cooling air. "What you said about being able to read people - does that apply to everybody?"

Charles spun back around, and began to walk back down towards the water, away from the garden, and the bench, and the man who always seemed to be asking the most annoyingly striking questions with his ridiculously intense manner. He called quietly back over his shoulder towards Erik as he walked slowly away into the growing feeling of his own unease that came with his own realisation as he answered the question.

"Until I first met you, it was only Raven. So no - certainly not _everybody_, Erik."


	5. Chapter 5

Unsurprisingly perhaps, in a house as large and populated with young people as Xavier mansion currently was, complete and total silence was often very difficult to come by. There were one or two places that were generally sought out by the older members of the team as a refuge from the chaos generally inhabiting the rest of the house on a day to day basis, but escaping the noise completely was very unlikely to happen. Except, Charles mused as he sat contently in the library absorbing the beautiful silence around him, when taking into account the amazing willingness of teenagers to make themselves scarce in exchange for assorted bribes. He reached over the arm of the chair to find his glass of scotch on the table next to him, only to find it empty once again. He sighed, standing wearily to the decanter on the sideboard, and spun around at the sight of a mute figure leaning against the doorframe. Erik walked in quietly, half-returning Charles' friendly smile and taking a seat in the armchair the younger man had just vacated.

"So Charles, you must be truthful with me. Have I gone deaf?"

The other man laughed, carrying two generously filled glasses back to the fireside. He grinned deviously, the glasses clinking together pleasantly as they were deposited on the small table.

"You underestimate my powers of persuasion I see. Well," he chuckled, kicking off his shoes next to the grate and taking a seat on the small couch that faced the fire, "the amazing persuasive power money and the opportunity of a minimally supervised visit to town can have on a group of cooped up and over-excitable children, anyhow." Erik returned his grin properly, shaking his head in mock disapproval.

"They're never going to become properly disciplined if you keep sending them off with Moira to rampage around the city whenever you want some peace and quiet" he said in between sips of scotch, the fiery drink burning his stomach and calming the pit of nervousness that had been growing there all day. Erik sighed, and looked up to meet Charles' steady gaze.

"So. Should we get this over with then?" Charles blinked in confusion, adjusting to the sudden shift in mood in the dusky room. "I want to talk to you - well, talk like we used to. Properly." Erik dropped his eyes, staring into the fire with an unexpected ferocity. Charles leant over to the armchair from where he sat, placing his hand gently on top of the one strong and calloused that already lay there, clutching the fabric of the chair anxiously.

"If I do will you stop tearing apart my best antique drinking chair please?"

The hand loosened it's grip. Charles smiled, leaving his hand lying where it was and trying his best to make the gesture look as casual as it could possibly look. The sensation was quite different to that of comforting or calming down anyone else he had ever caressed the hand of. _Much less awkward_, the annoying little voice at the back of his mind whispered petulantly. Erik tore his eyes away from the fire and looking into the other set with an unreadable expression set in them.

"Just be calm Erik" Charles breathed softly, closing his eyes slowly and concentrating on opening the channels of communication in his mind. Erik followed suit, releasing a breath that he had not been aware of holding.

"Ah!" both mutants jumped, Charles from the sudden and vicious onslaught of emotions, memories and thoughts that hit his own mind like a sledgehammer, and Erik from the sudden and vicious feeling of Charles' nails burying themselves in his hand. Charles groaned, an almost immediate headache setting in as he tried to acclimate himself to the mess he found himself in. Pushing the strong emotions to one side in order to stop them both from crying out loud, he took a breath and forced himself to calm down and focus on communicating.

_What is this?_

_**You said I was holding back. Well, this is not held back. This is everything I can't help but be stuck with in my own stupid head every single day- **_Erik sighed audibly, resting his head against the back of the armchair. Charles loosened his grip slightly on the other man's hand, making an effort to avoid digging his nails into him again.

_There's too much going on. I can't tell anything- it's all so mixed up Erik. You can't have been holding all of this back, it would drive anyone insane._

_**Well at least I have a reason.**_

_That's not funny._

They sat in apparent silence, both oblivious to the growing darkness of the library around them as they grew more and more absorbed in their communal thoughts. The fire burned bright still, filling the room with a flickering, eerie light along with the comforting warmth it brought. Erik took a deep breath, a long gulp of scotch, and prepared to give up the secret he had guarded so jealously to the last person he had ever wanted to know about it.

Letting his mind wander, memories swam to the front of the confusion that continued to overwhelm them both - laughing together on a rickety camp bed in the middle of warm summer nights, shared bottles of wine beside warm fireplaces as the rain beat down outside, jealous glances towards a wandering Charles and Moira as they walked together next to the woods. The memories flooded both of their heads, and as they kept on coming the expanse of feelings that came with them hit them both just as heavily. The images grew more specific and less visual all at once - the comfortable warmth of bodies sitting side by side, the rough digging in of fingernails, and the oddly pervasive smell of something that Charles couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Gunpowder." Erik whispered hoarsely, clutching the chair tightly once again. "It's all you ever smell of after being around that damn _hohlkopf_ Hank and his exploding beakers". He kept his eyes shut tightly, not wanting to see the look that he could so easily picture on the other mans face.

_Erik. _

_Erik, please. Look at me. _Charles rose from the couch and slowly tightened his grip on the hand that lay below his still, prising it away from the material it was dug into and placing it into his own instead.

_**I can't! **_Erik all but shouted back in his head, jerking his hand away and slamming it down on the table next to the empty glass of scotch. _**I can't because I can't sit there and have you tell me that it's all going to be ok and this isn't going to change anything, and I can't stay here a minute longer now, and-**_

Erik was fairly certain his brain effectively shattered into pieces when Charles dragged his head up towards his own and pressed their lips together. He fought, pushing the smaller mutant away roughly, but found himself being held in place with a surprising strength that he would never had expected. Suddenly, just as roughly and haphazardly as their lips moved against each other, much stronger thoughts flooded their heads, tinged with a different perspective. Awkward realisations by a noisy lake in the cool dusk and memories of silent stargazing tangled themselves together messily, a warm undercurrent of calm acceptance accompanying them, accidentally seeping through to them both and putting an end to the breathless struggle. Breaking apart, Charles sunk to the floor in front of the fire keeping a tight grip on the other man still as they both attempted to catch their breath.

"I'm sorry" Charles panted, running his free hand through his hair. "I- it was a bad idea for me to lose control like that. I just…" he trailed off, letting the silence engulf them once again. "Probably for the best the kids are gone, eh?" he offered awkwardly, with an air of false confidence that he certainly did not currently possess. Erik stared, shaking his head at the absolute loss of words he was experiencing.

_I don't know any more than you do, Erik. _Charles switched over to their mental connection, finding it easier to talk within the intimate closeness it offered. _God knows I don't know why, and I don't know what it means with regards to a single damn thing. But I do know that I am not letting you leave. I stopped you once and I'll do it again, and I have absolutely no problems with doing it physically if I have to. _

_**I know. **_Erik replied faintly, completely lost at the direction the conversation had taken. _**You don't have to do this. We don't have to do this.**_

_I know that as well. What if I want to though? _Charles smiled up at the figure in the armchair, the nagging sense of discomfort finally lifting from his chest where it had sat for weeks on end. He tugged Erik down easily onto the rug next to him, no resistance coming from the other man anymore. They sat in the near darkness, as comfortable as they had always been alone in each other's company, both finally acknowledging that it was ok to be so content. And, although many things preoccupied them both over the course of the night, and for that matter the next morning on being woken by a very confused Hank wandering into the Library and noticing two figures asleep on the rug in front of the burned out fire, one common thought fleeted in between the pair at very frequent intervals.

Maybe some things didn't always need to be said.

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><p>Well. I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I flailed over writing it. My deepest apologies that it's taken so long to finish this, but I hope this might make up for it just a little tiny bit :) You are all amazing people and if you fancy leaving me a review I will love and adore you more than I probably already do.<p> 


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